UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK
Notes from the Athena Network Group
Held on
Monday 30th July 2012
Present:
Emma Anderson, Sandra Beaufoy, Katherine Branch, Julia Brettschneider, Rebecca
Freeman, Miriam Gifford, Vanessa Goodship, Natalia Khovanova, Richard Moffatt, Sharon
Neal, Caroline Peck, Naila Rabbani, Alison Rodger, James Smith, Annie Young
In Attendance: Emilio Jimenez
Apologies:
Sue Burrows, Sally Byrne, Sam Cole, Faye Emery, Anne O’Rourke, Molly Rogers, Margaret
Thorogood, Leonie Walls, Stephen Williams
1. Submission Dates
30th November 2012 and 30th April 2013
2. Intentions to Submit
November 2012
 Chemistry - Gold
 Warwick Medical School – Silver
 Engineering - Bronze
 Life Sciences – Bronze
 University – Silver (dependant on majority of SET departments at Warwick holding a bronze
award)
April 2013
 Physics - Gold
 Computer Science - Bronze
 Maths - Bronze
 Statistics – Bronze
3. Schedule for Submission of Drafts
1st Draft:
24th September 2012
2nd Draft:
31st October 2012
3rd Draft:
16th November 2012
As there are so many submissions it will be helpful for people to read one individual department’s
draft submission and offer feedback rather than trying to read them all. Sandra Beaufoy, Caroline
Peck, Leonie Walls and Alison Rodger will read all departmental submissions.
4. Communicable Diseases – Child Care Provision
The rules regarding when children are infectious and are not permitted at nursery are reasonable
but the practicalities for parents are difficult. The rules are very rigid as the nursery staff are not
trained medical experts. If parents can talk to a doctor quickly then the nursery staff will usually
accept that doctor’s advice. Annie Young to look at the issue of infectious diseases at the university
nursery and will also include Occupational Health in the discussions.
There is a huge demand for nursery places but the University nursery does not have enough places,
with a waiting list of 18 months which is impracticable for research staff on short term contracts.
The University has already extended its nursery provision so it is unlikely that anything else can be
done, but this issue will be raised with them.
5. Children’s Holiday Activities
There has been an improvement in the number of activities available for school aged children
during school holidays.
Summer 2011 accommodated - Mad Science Club – places for up to 35 children, Tennis and
Climbing (9-16 years of age); Tennis, Rookie Lifeguarding and Team Sports (8-12 years of age); Tots
and Parents (3-4 years of age), Mini Tennis Red (5-8 years of age).
A similar programme is scheduled for summer 2012 (which will include tennis, climbing,
lifeguarding, fitness and swimming) – see
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/sportscentre/facilities/westwood/tenniscentre/flyer_for_holi
day_camps_2012.pdf
The Sports Centre will also be running activities after the summer holidays including, the climbing
club Bear Rock Cubs Club for young people (aged 8 and over) on Saturday and Sunday mornings
from 9.00 am until 1.00 am. The Junior Tennis Club (10 – 16 years of age) Friday evenings (all year
round) and Warwick Arts Centre has established Youth Theatre Groups which run on a Saturday
morning and Monday evenings. The groups are divided into the following age groups: 8-11 years;
11-14 years; 14-16 years and 16-18 years
It was noted that there is no 9 am –5 pm activity programme over vacation periods for children
aged 4 years and upwards. It was agreed that a student-run programme would be a good idea and
that these should include the half terms. It was agreed to approach the University with this
request. It was also noted that this sort of provision could help with encouraging the local
community onto campus.
6. Postdoctoral New Comers Meeting
It has been suggested that the postdoc newcomers meeting links in with the Research Staff Forum
(RSF) which meets termly. Details of the RSF can be found at the following link:
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/ldc/researchers/forum/ Sharon Neal will provide emails of
new postdocs so they can be invited to the RSF lunch. This will enable them to meet their reps and
other key people such as LDC and Library staff as well as find out what the RSF does for
researchers. The RSF is keen to have representation from all University departments.
Emilio talked to the group about the Special Interest Groups (SIGs)
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/library/researchexchange/research_networks/sigs which is
related to Global Priority Programme (GPP) for PhD students and post docs. SIGs are based at the
Wolfson Research Exchange (WRE). They are keen to get more post docs involved or lead some of
the projects as they believe it will be good experience for them when applying for more permanent
positions. SIGs are also considering having a welcome event at the start of term and wondered
whether it would be good to co-ordinate with RSF. Jenny de la Salle from WRE attends RSF.
7. Future of Conference Attendance Fund
The group agreed that the conference support fund
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/equalops/athena/warwickconferencesupportawards should
be made part of standard budgets. In support of this it was noted that Queen Mary University,
London are copying the provision of such a fund. There has been an annual budget of £1000 with
each award being capped at £100 per individual. The fund needs to be promoted more and it is
hoped that it can be embedded into the University’s annual provision.
8. Irene Joliot-Curie Conference
1–2 October 2012 Warwick is running a conference targeted at chemistry (especially female) post
docs. All heads of chemistry departments in the UK have been contacted and asked to pass the
information on to their postdocs, suggesting that they may wish to pay their postdocs travel
expenses. 20 - 30 postdocs have already registered for the conference.
9. E&D and Recruitment Training
The Network agreed that access to the E&D training and recruitment training should be immediate
and not reliant on waiting for logon details from LDC.
Sandra is running various types of E&D training. Two sessions scheduled for 23rd August are full and
there are already waiting lists. Further sessions will be scheduled in the next academic year.
Sharon has arranged a 2-day training course on first aid in mental health. At the moment it is being
offered to a targeted group. There is also a half day course planned, which is aimed at front-line
administrative staff dealing with students to help them to sign-post students to the right place.
There are plans to develop methods to get students to disclose disabilities before the last minute at
exam time. Some case studies of students who have benefited from the support they obtained is
hoped to be the way forward. A new part-time dyslexia-support tutor has recently been recruited.
Assistive technology facilities available in the library are not publicised enough, but this is being
rectified.
Vanessa Goodship reported that she had received a complaint from a student with dyslexia about
the length of the dyslexia form which has to be completed before a student gets an appointment
with a dyslexia tutor. Sandra Beaufoy contacted the Disability Coordinator who informed her that
this form is not a University form but is likely to be the Disabled Student Allowance (DSA) form and
out of the University’s control. On-going support from a dyslexia tutor does mean a student has to
apply for funding from the DSA and therefore must complete this difficult application form;
however, there are tutors available to help students with completion of this form.
10. Warwick Medical School Event
After being awarded their Athena Bronze Award WMS held an event on 14th June 2012 aimed at
other Medical Schools in order to communicate and share practice and challenges faced when
making their submission. 22 universities attended with 51 attendees, including representatives
from the Equality Challenge Unit and a representative from the Department of Health. Feedback
was extremely positive: the venue (MOAC) worked well and delegates appreciated the opportunity
for questions. It has been suggested that the WMS publish an article in the BMJ and the Royal
College of Surgeons Journal both of which have Women in Medicine Groups.
11. Any Other Business
 Attendance at the Maths Modelling or Healthcare Conference, 10–14 September is only
decided mid August which can be too late for researchers with children. Julia
Brettschneider will send Alison Rodger details who will then contact EPSRC.
 Departmental Student and Staff data for 2012 will be available mid-August (Anne O’Rourke
and Sam Cole). Life Sciences have some data missing which they should talk to Anne or Sam
about.
 WMS will be employing a Project Officer who will include Athena SWAN in their job.
 The group should ask the University to pay for lunches.
12. Date of Next meetings
12 noon – 1.00 pm in the MOAC Meeting Room (Lunch provided)
Tuesday 18th September 2012
Tuesday 23rd October 2012
Tuesday 13th November 2012